promoting science at primary level
4.3 Other Key Tasks
4.3.1 Moral and Civic Education
There is a close relationship between GS and moral and civic education. To
“help students maintain a healthy personal development and become confident, rational and responsible citizens” and “develop a sense of national identity and be committed to contributing to the nation and the world” are two of the major aims of GS curriculum.
Strategies to promote moral and civic education through GS
(i) Promoting moral and civic education through learning and teaching of the subject:
For example, teachers can help to nurture a sense of national identity in students by helping them to understand and appreciate the developments and achievements of the Chinese in aspects such as history, literature, science, sports and art. Teachers can also organise a variety of learning activities to facilitate the development of positive values and attitudes relevant to moral and civic education.
Examples
❖ Arranging small group discussions where students are encouraged to share experiences and learn to appreciate different views.
❖ Providing opportunities for students to discuss the importance of carrying out one's responsibilities in school.
❖ Assigning tasks to students requiring collaborative effort through which values and attitudes, such as responsibility, respect for others as well as perseverance can be developed.
(ii) Incorporating moral and civic education in life-wide learning:
Examples
❖ Participation in an outdoor excursion project, engaging in a project on scientific investigation, etc. will help develop in students the value of perseverance in spite of difficulties.
❖ A visit to the museum and exhibition of Chinese arts with supporting learning activities could arouse students' interest in appreciating Chinese culture.
❖ A visit to the Golden Bauhinia Square to watch the national flag hoisting ceremony will help enhance students' sense of national identity.
(iii) Providing opportunities for students to develop priority values such as respect for others, care for others, responsibility and commitment in action (e.g. service learning) :
Examples
❖ Inviting senior students to become the “big brothers and sisters” of the primary 1 students, so as to strengthen their sense of belonging to the school and nurture a caring attitude.
❖ A service project to the Home for the Aged or community centres, etc. can be arranged for students to develop a sense of service to the community and responsibility.
(iv) Using a life event approach: A school with a strong moral mission can strengthen values education in GS by using a life event approach.
Examples
By using the event on "getting dressed up oneself", the teacher could lead students to reflect on
❖ the importance of a simplistic lifestyle
❖ the relationship between a healthy self-concept and the clothes one wears
❖ personal choice versus peer influence
With the use of an event such as "facing illness", teachers can help students to learn to
❖ face adversity in life in a positive way
❖ appreciate the importance of healthy living
❖ value life
❖ critically examine/ evaluate the allocation of resources to medical and health services in society
For details, please refer to the examples of teaching plans in the EDB “Life Event” website at
http://www.edb.gov.hk/index.aspx?nodeID=2919&langno=2
Moreover, teachers can also help students to develop positive values and attitudes through their interaction with students. An open learning atmosphere helps to nurture students’ moral and civic values. In order to implement moral and civic education successfully, schools should formulate strategies according to the direction of whole-school curriculum development, and let all teachers and students participate actively. For details of curriculum framework in Moral and Civic Education, please refer to Appendix 2 or the following website:
http://www.edb.gov.hk/index.aspx?nodeID=7109&langno=2 . 4.3.2 Reading to Learn
Reading is an important tool for life-long learning and whole-person development. It helps develop thinking skills, enrich knowledge, enhance language proficiency and broaden life experience. Teachers can make good use of reading in GS to promote independent learning capabilities. Students can be encouraged to read books other than textbooks, to find information on their own about topics of interest not covered in school and to share their findings with their friends and fellow students.
Moreover, as knowledge is rapidly expanding and changing, information in GS textbooks can become quickly out-of-date. Students should be aware of new developments and changes related to their studies through reading to learn.
Wide reading can also help to cultivate an open attitude towards different opinions, ideas, values and cultures. Teachers can refer to the List of Reference Books for General Studies for Primary Schools in the EDB – General Studies for Primary Schools website at
Teachers should also encourage students to read and share their reading experience.
GS teachers can help to develop reading to learn in students through a wide range of learning activities:
Examples
❖ In teaching themes related to Chinese history and culture, teachers can ask students to read reference books concerning historical figures, who have impact on Chinese History, and their stories. They can then report their reading in different ways, e.g. verbal report, painting, role-play, writing.
❖ Ask students to search out information from various sources such as the library or the Internet for conducting projects or scientific investigations. Librarians can also provide students with reading materials and training on information skills.
❖ Ask students to search for news relating to the theme/ topic/ unit they study and report them to the class, write summaries or comments on them.
❖ Conduct a class discussion/debate on a topical issue based on students' reading of newspapers.
❖ Ask students to do demonstrations based on the reading of manuals (e.g. preparing a dish, making a simple gadget).
❖ Organise an inter-class reading quiz/ competition based on assigned readings of GS-related materials.
Schools should encourage reading across the curriculum. The collaboration of different subject panels in promoting reading across the curriculum do not merely improve students’ ability to read, but also broaden their horizons and strengthen their thinking capabilities. This will help them construct knowledge effectively and build up positive values.
4.3.3 Information Technology for Interactive Learning
With teacher guidance, IT can become an effective tool through which students can learn. It can support a more student-centred pedagogy inside and outside the classroom. Students can use the Internet for searching out information and resources. IT also allows students to collect, process and present information efficiently when doing projects or conducting investigations.
At present, using IT in the learning and teaching process of GS is becoming more and more common. Schools should adhere to the suggestions in The Third Strategy on IT in Education, “Right Technology at the Right Time for the Right Task”, so as to enhance the effect of using IT for interactive learning. Please browse the following website for details :
http://edbsdited.fwg.hk/3ITED/index_e.html
Teachers are encouraged to use a variety of student-centred learning strategies (e.g. project learning) so that students are provided with opportunities to use IT to acquire and construct their own knowledge. Opportunities should also be given to students to organise and present their ideas or assignments with the support of IT in class, so that the use of IT skills becomes a useful means to learning and sharing knowledge and not an end in itself.
There are many learning and teaching activities that will develop students’ IT skills in GS.
There are examples of different learning strands provided in EDB “Depository of Curriculum-based Learning and Teaching Resources” website at
http://www.hkedcity.net/edb/teachingresources/pri/gs
Teachers can decide how to use these resources based on the facilities and cultures of the schools.